Groomed forA focus on politics and public service promotesstudent expertise both in and out of school.

Web Hutchins

At Franklin, Seattle’s oldest high school, the annual “Preach” is always a big deal for students—and for me. Preach is slang for the
end-of-year summative oral presentation, or speech. During my 14 years at
Franklin teaching history, government,
and American literature, I’ve seen how
a civics and political science perspective
ignites enthusiasm in all students.

Although I consider myself a semi-tough old coach, I typically need to
bring a few tissues to the Preach because
it’s so powerful. Each June, after their
final exams, my scholars take to the
PreachBox (the podium) and give a
formal speech that answers the question that shaped the year: What are your
political views and conception of civic
duty, and how have they evolved this
year in response to what you’ve learned?
Most students say that they had initially
either hated or ignored politics but that
the course’s relentless connection of past
to present got them interested. Students
typically report a dramatic increase
in their desire and ability to make the
world a better place.

Last spring, as always, the presenta-tions were scholarly and touching. Han-nah’s and Ralayzia’s were particularlymemorable. Hannah is one of the fewwhite kids in the school ( 93 percent arestudents of color, and 72 percent qualifyfor free and reduced-price lunch). Withpoise, erudition, and a clearly drawnrhetorical plan, she argued powerfullyfor a rebirth of the Progressive Era’sculture of political activism. She drewconnections between Upton Sinclair’sbook The Jungle—which describes thetainted food, unspeakable workingconditions, and corruption in Chi-cago’s meatpacking industry duringthe Gilded Age—and issues facing ourfood industry today. She praised TeddyRoosevelt’s creation of the U.S. Foodand Drug Administration as well as hisbold conservation measures, and shemade a public commitment to intensifyher civic engagement in environmentalissues.